Trying to come up with a fun Overhead Layout

This is what I have come up with using my limited skills. Kind of boring and this layout has o36 curves and has me adding 2.5 inch crown molding all the way around the center walls for the extra space. 

I just completed my "shelf layout" tonight.  How wide is the "shelf" your train is running on?  I ended up using 4.5 inch crown molding to help hold up my 6 inch shelf.  The molding I used is the type that angles.  That allowed me to cover up the L brackets holding most of the weight of the shelf.

I don't know if you can expand enough to add a Figure 8 like this:

My shelf is not built yet so I can go to whatever width I need. The only place I need to build a shelf is on the opposing wall and two bridges to span the hallway gap. The big area in the center is fully flat and able to have track laid right on it. I am thinking of adding 2.5-3 inches in molding around that just to extend the width of the area.

I like the figure 8 idea. I would like to have a way for two trains to run at once without worrying about them colliding.

Hit me up if you have any questions regarding the shelf portion of your layout.  I just spent about 3 weeks researching various ways/styles to do it.  I'm a total newbie at this and if I did it, anybody can. 

Sounds good Trainguy. I am pretty handy and am very good at getting myself in trouble with handy stuff. (just over 3 years and the kitchen remodel is almost done lol)

If you haven't put up the shelf, I highly recommend double tracking it.  You would need 10 inch boards.  Try to dowel them into each other for extra strength, especially the rounded corners.  I used 5 inch L brackets, mostly, to support mine.  I put them on top and special ordered a backdrop to hide them and improve the look.  I stained them to match the existing wood, sanded an sealed the bottom of each board for a finished look.

DD's layout would solve your problem of reversing loops, if you have the space for it.  The double track would allow for two trains running at all times.  

My two loops are about 100 feet, so I can run four engines on two tracks, using DCS to control their speed.  You may be able to slip in a small yard, like I did.  I bus wired it from the top, which hides the wires and the rope lights.  You would probably need LED strips to conserve space.  No reversing loops, but, the trains themselves (about 80) are the main attraction.

Hope these pics give you some useful ideas.  Good luck.

Jerry

FWIW, I'm not a fan of the design I posted. My goal was to simply expand on your design and add the reversing capability. IMHO, the Figure 8 and turnouts are potential problems and I don't know if they're worth it. I prefer the dual mainline idea on a wider shelf, but I would raise the visible part of the inner run 2"-3" for visibility. Since the center part is open, it would be fairly easy to cut a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" plywood to size and put it up there. Crown molding could be added below the overhang to give it a nicer look if desired, but the entire layout could be built on the ground and then put in place.

I'm leaving in a few minutes to visit a layout near Prescott, so I don't have time right now to put together a design, but I will later after I get home this evening. The idea would be to use the existing pot shelf footprint and expand it so there is a 10" overhang all around. I don't know what purpose the lone siding serves other than to store a short train maybe or give you something to do by baking some cars in there for pickup/delivery. Running across the hallway extends the time it takes for trains to make a circuit and the unseen inside could be used for a small yard to store additional trains for some variety.

Sounds Good Dave. You are correct the single straight was merely a place to put either a short train or park one of the trains for showing off when they aren't running. The hallway is actually part of the open space kind of. North of the pot Shelf (Nice term btw) is the Living room. The Kitchen is SE and E (Its a Large Kitchen) The Dining room is NE. West is the Main Entry intersection for the house. South Side of the Hallway is the Landry room. So the whole area is traveled and viewed from often. A double track sounds like a great Idea.

Here's a couple of versions with dual runs. I don't have a ceiling layout, so I don't like the "yard" because you can't see it and that would seem to be problematic to me. I only included it for storage, but I have no idea how many engines and rolling stick you have or how many you want ready access to. This in done in SCARM so I could show some elevation changes, but I'm not sure about the visibility factor in the hallway, etc. My preference would be for the entire inner oval to be raised 3" instead of the opposite halves of both ovals raised 2" to reduce the incline. You can make it more complicated by adding crossovers between the 2 ovals or you can make it less complicated by reducing the number of turnouts.

What is the primary viewpoint?

Someone standing on the floor looking up at the wall?

Bear in mind too that on my examples the 10" overhang at the top and bottom of the pot shelf is only needed to incorporate the yard or small inside oval. If you just do 2 simple ovals, the pot shelf is large enough and you'd only need a shelf along the bottom wall.